Garden Birdwatch 2000 – UPDATE

November 1999

to

February 2000

Manx Heritage Foundation

Introduction and Thanks

Thank you to all those who have taken part in our Garden Birdwatch 2000 scheme. Of the 500+ who expressed an interest in the scheme a total of 341 have returned their completed forms. The information generated by the survey will be of great benefit to our overall research and will provide very interesting information about the birds that use Manx gardens. We have been delighted with the response and have decided to continue the scheme into the future. Enclosed are the documents for the next 13-week period, commencing on 26^th March. This date has been chosen to tie in with the scheme being run by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), allowing more accurate comparison between our results and those in the rest of Britain and Ireland.

There have been a few changes in the form, including the addition of Song Thrush, which was inadvertently left off the previous form!! Examination of the forms returned suggests that one or two species are causing confusion and might be mistaken for similar species. In this issue of our bulletin we have highlighted some of these and we hope this is of use to you all. As with all surveys of this nature the real benefits come from comparing results year on year and over the changing seasons, so please carry on recording - your help is important. In this issue we will concentrate on giving some of the facts that you have gathered over the winter and include a number of small articles on a variety of topics. We hope you are able to continue supporting the Birdwatch scheme and that you find the bulletin of interest. Any thoughts on how it can be improved or suggestions for future articles will be most welcome.

Winter 1999-2000

Top Ten

Percentage

Robin 100

Blackbird 99

Chaffinch 94

Blue Tit 94

House Sparrow 87

Great Tit 83

Wren 83

Greenfinch 81

Jackdaw 77

Starling 74

(Percentages are the average proportion of your GBW forms on which each species was reported)

It seems a safe bet to say that the Robin is the species most frequently seen in your gardens. By comparison in the winter of 1998 it ranked third in the BTO ratings at 91%, the pole being topped by the Blackbird at 97%. Interestingly the Dunnock does not appear in our top ten (it occurred in 67% of gardens) whilst it ranked 6^th (79%) in the UK in the winter of 1998. Watch out for this secretive species, often seen skulking under hedges

Overview of the results

From the 341 forms received a total of 81 species have been recorded. Included within these are a number of species that are classed as ‘rare’ in local terms or which were observed at a time of year they would not normally be seen. In common with other sightings of rare or unusual birds, the ‘Manx Bird Records Sub-Committee’ of the Manx Ornithological Society will act as an independent body to determine whether the record should be accepted. The Top Ten species are shown in the column on the left, though perhaps of more interest is the number of gardens recording presence of some of the less frequently observed species of bird.

For example many people rang, during the survey, to mention that they had observed Siskin in their garden. This small finch appears to have been faring well in the recent past and was seen in 22% (74) gardens. A species that seems to hold a special affection to most people is the Goldfinch, often seen in small groups or ‘charms’. Several people rang to say that they had observed them feeding in their garden and a total of 32% (110) recorded presence at some point during the 13-week period. The Grey Wagtail is another species that has occurred in more gardens than expected, being seen in 100 (29%) gardens. More often associated with streams and glens it has been interesting to note the extent to which they will visit gardens to find food or water.

Pride of place for the less usual species must surely go to the Blackcap. Observed in 27% (91) of your gardens, this attractive warbler was undoubtedly the surprise of the winter. Although known to spend winters here in small numbers, it was not anticipated that so many would be observed.

A number of observers have mentioned that there appeared to be fewer birds visiting their gardens this winter than in the past. A possible explanation lies in the fact that this winter has been very mild, though wet and windy. Given the lack of any prolonged cold spell there have probably been ample natural sources of food available for birds to utilise and they have not therefore been so dependent upon food put out for them. Due to the generally mild weather, trying to determine a link between garden attendance and weather is difficult, however, overleaf, we have examined the presence of some of the more frequently observed species to see if there is any clear relationship between the two.

Has there been a link between cold weather and garden attendance?

To examine the possibility of there being a link we looked at the nine species shown on the front of the count form, as these had some indication of peaks and troughs in attendance, rather than just simple presence or absence. The chart below shows the total numbers of birds present for a selection of those species in each of the 13 weeks, the figures being expressed as a percentage of the overall numbers recorded for each species. The red bold line represents the mean figure for the sum of the nine species. It can be seen that there are clear peaks at weeks 4-5 and weeks 8-10. Interestingly it is only within these weeks that the minimum temperatures, measured at grass level, regularly fell below zero degrees centigrade at the Airport. This does suggest a link, though it should be noted that the range of fluctuation in attendance is small at between 7 and 8.5%. Thanks are due to the Meteorological Office at Ronaldsway, who provided information on average temperatures.

Distribution of GBW participants

(Map reproduced from the 1997 IOM Survey 1:290,000 map with permission of the Department of Local Government and the Environment. © Crown Copyright)

We thought it would be interesting to demonstrate the extent of the coverage obtained by you all during the last winter. As you can see from the map your gardens are represented across the entire Island, with good cover in towns as well as the more rural locations. Future editions of the update will show the distribution of some of the species you find in your gardens.

Clarifying some confusion.

Confusion has arisen between the Tree Sparrow and male House Sparrow. Shown below are illustrations of the heads of both species. Look for the rich chestnut crown on the Tree Sparrow and the white cheeks with a distinctive black spot in it. The sexes of Tree Sparrow are similar, whilst the male and female House Sparrow have different plumage.

 			Male House Sparrow		                  Tree Sparrow

The Song Thrush / Mistle Thrush distinction is also causing some concern. As a general guide the Song Thrush is smaller than a Blackbird and has a richer olive brown back than the Mistle Thrush. It favours skulking around hedgerows and lanes and is seldom observed far from cover. By contrast the Mistle Thrush, which is larger than a Blackbird is often to be found out in the open, in the middle of a field or large lawn. It has a much paler, grey-brown back and the chest appears much whiter than that of the Song Thrush, with larger black spots.

Finally on ‘confusion species’ be careful as the spring and summer progress to avoid confusing young Rook (which lack the pale bill of the adult) and Carrion Crow. In general the Juvenile Rook has a more angular head and a more slender and pointed bill. There are also many fewer Carrion Crow than Rook. We hope these ‘pointers’ are of some use.

Birds to look out for.

Over the next few weeks we will start to see an influx of a number of summer visitors. This can be a confusing time for those who, whilst familiar with our resident or winter visiting birds, might not be so certain about some of the ‘little brown jobs’ that appear in summer.

Some to look out for in your garden include Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, small green-brown birds that are constantly active, looking for insects in the trees. The Willow Warbler is more common on the Island. Swallow and House Martin are also often to be found in and around gardens. The House Martin, with its white rump, is more usually found nesting on the outside of houses, often in estates. The Swallow, with its long tail streamers, is more often found nesting inside an old building or outhouse usually in more rural settings.

There is always the chance of a rare or unusual bird turning up in your garden, especially during migration. If you are unsure about what species you are looking at, please feel free to ring the office, we will try and help over the ‘phone or will call and help if you wish. Enjoy your birding!!

For further  information on the work of   contact the charity at 33 Mines Road, Laxey, IOM.Tel:-    01624 861130.
E-mail – general@manxbirdatlas.org.uk